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BBC HELPS LAUNCH COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS IN GEORGIA
BBC World Service press release, London
4 Sep 06
Members of two minority ethnic groups in Georgia will have a new
voice for their news and views with the launch of two new community
radio stations.
They are being set up by the BBC World Service Trust as part of the
Making Waves project to promote the rights of Armenian and Azeri
minorities living in the enclaves of Javakheti and Kvemo-Kartli.
With a radio station in each region, local people will be able to voice
their opinions, receive key information and play an active role in the
democratic process. The stations will improve coverage of cultural,
ethnic and religious issues.
Experienced broadcasters from the BBC are working alongside local
journalists and volunteers to develop their broadcasting and management
skills.
Simon Derry, Media Development Director of the BBC World Service
Trust, described the project: "We want to demonstrate the role the
media can and should play in building bridges between communities.
"Training is critical to the success of the project. We will train
at least 120 journalists and media managers in diversity reporting
and provide media skills workshops for non-governmental organization
(NGO) workers active in Georgia.
"We hope this will help to shatter existing stereotypes, improve
communications between the media and NGOs and help the Georgian media
to connect with minority groups."
The first round of journalism training for community members in both
regions is already completed; the location for one of the broadcasting
stations has been identified and the project was officially launched
in July.
At the launch event in Tbilisi, Making Waves was warmly welcomed by
representatives of the republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
[Passage omitted]
Making Waves is funded by the European Initiative for Democracy and
Human Rights (EIDHR), a European Union programme that aims to promote
and support human rights and democracy in third world countries, with
support from the British Embassy in Georgia and the UK Government's
Global Conflict Prevention Pool.
Project partners assisting with implementation are Studio Re (Georgia)
and IREX Europe.
BBC World Service press release, London
4 Sep 06
Members of two minority ethnic groups in Georgia will have a new
voice for their news and views with the launch of two new community
radio stations.
They are being set up by the BBC World Service Trust as part of the
Making Waves project to promote the rights of Armenian and Azeri
minorities living in the enclaves of Javakheti and Kvemo-Kartli.
With a radio station in each region, local people will be able to voice
their opinions, receive key information and play an active role in the
democratic process. The stations will improve coverage of cultural,
ethnic and religious issues.
Experienced broadcasters from the BBC are working alongside local
journalists and volunteers to develop their broadcasting and management
skills.
Simon Derry, Media Development Director of the BBC World Service
Trust, described the project: "We want to demonstrate the role the
media can and should play in building bridges between communities.
"Training is critical to the success of the project. We will train
at least 120 journalists and media managers in diversity reporting
and provide media skills workshops for non-governmental organization
(NGO) workers active in Georgia.
"We hope this will help to shatter existing stereotypes, improve
communications between the media and NGOs and help the Georgian media
to connect with minority groups."
The first round of journalism training for community members in both
regions is already completed; the location for one of the broadcasting
stations has been identified and the project was officially launched
in July.
At the launch event in Tbilisi, Making Waves was warmly welcomed by
representatives of the republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
[Passage omitted]
Making Waves is funded by the European Initiative for Democracy and
Human Rights (EIDHR), a European Union programme that aims to promote
and support human rights and democracy in third world countries, with
support from the British Embassy in Georgia and the UK Government's
Global Conflict Prevention Pool.
Project partners assisting with implementation are Studio Re (Georgia)
and IREX Europe.